Allen Key
by reoakoichini
Summary: Allen had a relatively normal life if a low/ middle-class American (again normal) what can happen when dreams start to affect his reality?


A/N: I only own my OC, none of the stories or characters, referenced(this is the only time will say it, any copyright compliance will refer to here.). this is my first story ever written but don't be afraid to critique my work, but pointless flamers will be ignored.

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Allen key

Chapter 1

Dive

Another day, another lesson. Another day more time wasted. My name is Allen, though my friends would call me Al, if I had any friends. My life is rather simple. I'm in my sophomore year of high school. However, it's painstakingly dull. Welcome to America, where our education is regarded as one of the best in the world, top ten at least. However, I study with classmates that can't even fricken read!

No less I was finally home for the weekend, so maybe I can go off, buy some snacks, and play some video games. I had finally gotten my license last week so now I can go anywhere I want, so long as I fill up on gas when it's close to empty.

I'm not the traditional teen who spends his time going off with friends (forever alone) or with his girlfriend or just spends his time playing video games (i wish). It's more along the lines of being one that also has a part-time job. It's just me and my mom so the least I can do is help pitch in and make her life easier. That said, I have to work at Mcdonalds of all places. Don't get me wrong, I like the 10 dollars an hour, but that doesn't mean that I enjoy being yelled at in the drive-through by a bunch of stoners that don't even know what they want.I

Today, however, I can go out and enjoy my time, tomorrow, I work a night shift, that I have Sunday to myself. I have at least 400 saved up, but it's a long way until I can afford a car for myself. In the meantime i have to use mom's car, thankfully I'm on her insurance but I still not going to wreck it but at least it's good to know we wouldn't be completely screwed.

After I had secured a good amount of snacks as well as filling up on gas, I had returned home with a good 350 still on my card and proceeded to eat some grilled chicken with my mother. I'm not going to lie, I'm a real mama's boy, but when she had shown so much love while my dad didn't show any care to even stay, I had become very attached to my mom, mainly because we only have each other. Her name is Susan and she works as a manager at Walmart. Meaning we can get a discount on the essentials and stock ahead of time.

I spent most of the night after dinner playing 'enter the Gungeon.' Tough game, you should try it sometime (not sponsored or sponsoring). Getting to around 4 in the morning I decided I ought to head to bed. What happened, however, was just weird.

I fell asleep and felt like I was falling. This isn't all that odd, I just relaxed as my heartbeat dropped while I tried to dream. Now normally when I do this, I get the feeling I'm flying. One of the things I had to learn as a kid was how to be in control of my dreams. Nightmares were harsh as a little boy so I kept a dream journal ever since. Now that I'm a lucid dreamer and can handle when I know when I dream I usually dream about flying with a set of wings on my back, it's really therapeutic sometimes.

This time, however, I just kept falling until I corrected myself to where I wouldn't land face first. I slowed down briefly and landed on my feet to reveal what looked like a mural on for a floor, surrounded by an endless void. Oddly enough the mural was of my mother in what I imagined was her wedding dress. Surrounded by pink petals with a bouquet of blue roses and a blue background.

"So much to do, so little time..."

"Take your time"

"Don't be afraid" various voices spoke rapidly as I look around but only see darkness all around me

"Who's there?" I ask to myself or the voices I ask I wasn't sure. I know I'm the only one in my mind, or at least I hope.

"Don't be afraid" the voices repeated but all at once this time

"The door is still shut."

"Now step forward."

"Can you do it?"

I don't know why, but I wasn't in control of my dreams anymore, only of myself and quite frankly the amalgamated voices annoy me. Though I don't know why.

"I may have been late to walking as a toddler but don't think I forgot how just because I'm sleeping!" I yelled to the sky as I walked to the center of the mural right in the blue patch of flowers in my mother's hands. While I stepped forward I heard an odd shimmering sound, oddly enough which brought me to a pause, until I heard what I thought was shifting earth.

Three square pillars arose from the edge of the ground from under the floor I stood if the ground beneath me was a pie chart, then the odd pillars would be the borders of colors. Each color would be taking 33%

"Power sleeps within you." a shield appeared on the pillar to the right of me suspended in the air

"If you give it form." this time what looked to be a staff or cane appeared in front of me.

"It will give you strength." in front of me was a broadsword with a bronze guard and pommel and blue grip.

"What the hell is going on?!" I demanded of the sky, I received no answer other than,

"Choose well."

Walking up to the sword, I give it a couple of practice swings. I always loved stories involving dragons, it was a shame a sword was always pointing its business end into the scaly creatures. Didn't stop me from pretending fallen sticks were swords when I was a kid, I didn't know why, but the feel of this sword, in particular, felt right, not too heavy, not to light, it's length was just as long as the arm holding it.

"Power of the warrior"

"Invincible courage"

"A sword of terrible destruction"

"Is this the power you seek?"

I place the sword down, despite what I felt with that sword, id rather understands what the other 2 pillars represented first. So I walked up to the shield. Grabbing it I felt a great amount of security like nothing could ever hurt me.

"The power of the guardian."

"Kindness to aid friends."

"A shield to repel all"

"Is the power you seek?"

I placed the shield down back and watched as it floated back were it was in the air in the same position as before. Power of warrior or guardian? And some 3rd thing? What is this all supposed to mean? I walked up to the cane. Upon grabbing it I felt a surge of energy, not at all like a sugar rush but more a focus along with adrenaline pouring from the staff into my veins

"The power of the mystic."

"Inner strength."

"A staff of wonder and ruin."

"Is this the power you seek?"

I placed the staff down and walked back to the patch of roses painted on the floor and sat. powers of the mystic, guardian, and warrior? What is this all supposed to mean? I know that it's supposed to have sort of deeper meaning, but as to what eludes me. Still, if I had to pick out of the 3 choices, it would be something I already lack. Being kind isn't that hard, and who would want to repel all? Wouldn't it be better to filter out who you let get close to you? That took the shield down as an option in my opinion.

Inner strength is something I had beaten into me figuratively as a kid I had to be strong for my mother and for myself otherwise everything would have fallen apart. The power of destruction is only so good as you long as you don't destroy everything.

I walked back up to the sword, this time the voices didn't say anything about its power.

"Is this the power you seek?"

"Yes."

With that, the sword disappeared before my eyes in a flash of light, but the feeling of strength didn't leave me.

"Your path is set."

"Now, what will you give up in exchange"

In all honesty, I thought I would only get to use the sword, but if what the voices just said is true I have to sacrifice one of the qualities about myself to the same degree in exchange. But that doesn't mean I'll lose it entirely as I thought. And I can still feel that feeling fo power of the mystic flowing through me if ever so faintly, same with that power of the guardians feeling of making me feel like nothing can ever hurt me.

If I forgot any of the 2 ids rather forget the power of the guardian. No one really grows without hardships, otherwise, you will end up with a lot more adult children in the world. The only time I ever felt secure was when I was a little boy in my mother's arms. I'll never forget it. Maybe lose toe power, but who says I can't gain it back. I walked over to the shield.

"You give up this power?"

"Yes."

The shield disappeared like the sword, but unlike the sword, I no longer feel it's power.

At least not much as id with the staff.

"You have chosen the power of the warrior."

"You gave up the power of the guardian.'

"Is this the form you choose?"

"Yes," I replied for the last time

Shortly after, the pillars started to disappear, or rather sink into the floor causing me to stumble onto the floor, only to watch as the mural of my mother start to shatter making me fall below.

I fell onto a second mural, this time of my father. The man was in a black tux, his blonde hair combed straight like a nerdy kid going to the prom (like me if I ever went) behind him was a white altar and the shape of a priest, I say shape because I can see the master's robes but his face is completely blacked out, darker than my dads suit. The rest was red as a rose.

In a familiar flash, the sword reappeared into my hand.

"You've gained the power to fight"

"Why don't you take it for a swing?"

Deciding to listen to the voices for now, to at least get an answer to all of this, I had flourished the blade in a variety of slices and stabs in the air, it felt natural, almost like I had taken lessons in swordsmanship for years. I felt calluses I didn't have before had built on my hands.

"All right!"

"You've got it."

"Use this power to protect yourself and others."

Suddenly a wispy sword started to my right. From the left side of my dad's dark figure, a new one appeared, it was hard to make out

"There will be times you have to fight."

"Keep your light burning strong."

There were more figures and they had risen from the two dimensional plane of my fathers mural. They were pitch black with glowing yellow beady eyes. About as small as a 10-year-old if not shorter. they stood on 2 legs in a crouching position like they had some major hunch going on. Each arm had a hand with 3 digits each ending with a black claw. On their heads were twisted in a jagged fashion antenna on the top of their heads. They lunged at me.

One leaped into the air trying to lash onto my face from above. Say what you will about these things, able to clear 6 ft in the air would make basketball stars everywhere jealous. Ducking below the strike I lunged to the one coming at me to my left. With my sword in my left hand, I spun and decapitated the shadowy creature making it explode in a burst of darkness and spun again to meet the one on the right to parry its claws. Deciding it's a dream where I can only control myself, I decided I would jump over its head with a flip with the sword pointing over my head, splitting its head in half making it explode in a cloud of darkness. I didn't see were the first shadow jumped to.

"Behind you!"

I was too late to react, as I felt a gash in my back as the first creature had returned behind me to rake my back. In anger, I lashed out only to see the damnable thing running or crawling in the 2nd diminution along the floor. Chasing after it, I reached it when it was on my dads face. Didn't like my dad anyway and the bug pissed me off, so I stabbed both. The creature left like the rest. Funny enough, my sword was jammed into the mural of my dad's eye.

With the anger cooled out of my system I still felt my back sting. What kind of dream is this? While I was contemplating my reality, I soon found myself being swallowed in the same darkness that had come from the shadow creature, it extended from the creature onto my dads mural. Making me sink into darkness. I panicked, but it was too late, it had my legs already and was not going to let go.

While submerged in darkness it took me a while to realize I had appeared on a third mural, this time of me. Oddly enough I was wielding not a sword, or not a traditional one. This one looked like it was a giant bat wing for a blade, on the edge of the sword had a white feathered wing protruding near the tip, almost like a key. The handguard was odd with one side being dark blue and reminiscent of a bat's wing, while the other side was more like a white dove. The two halves ringed around each end of the handle like a glave. On the but of the sword was a small silver chain that clipped on and at the end of the chain was an odd black heart like shape except it had 3 tips like a triangle at the bottom. Looking closer. It was more along the lines were the tip split into 3 and the 2 outer ones started to curl like the fleur-de-lis symbol. On the guard near the blade was a single blue slit eye that seemed to stare soullessly at anyone who stared back. Why I was wielding a demon key sword was beyond me. No less the rest of the background was grey.

Looking at the mural my feet's direction I saw a fancy looking transparent gray set of double doors with a lighter grey, equally transparent frame. Over it was a light shining down on it like a rainbow to a leprechaun's pot of gold. Walking over to it, I realized it wasn't only transparent, but also untouchable. When I reached for the handle on the right, my hand went right through it. Obviously, the door has significance, but what is it for. Where is it to?

A glimmering sound behind me caught my attention. There was a red chest with a intricate yellow trim. Figuring since this was my dream, everything here should belong to me, I tried to open it, only to come up short with the chest being locked.

"Use the key."

'A key? What key? The only key I saw around here was… THE DEMON SWORD!'

With my will I had summoned my sword and figured id act like it was a key and point towards it and twisted it to the left, through some work of insanity, the chest opened to reveal a green flask of shimmering liquid. Taking a quick drink, the stinging in my back left. I felt where the shadow creature had raked me, only to feel nothing wrong. Whatever this stuff is, it's freaking awesome! Suck it medical school!

Turning around I saw a large wooden box even bigger than me. I gave it a test push, while it didn't budge with one hand, it was easy with both. Weird.

Deciding to bust it open, I got a second flask of liquid regeneration. The door must have liked what I did because it decided the frame was going to stop being a ghost and make a barrel appear. This time I was given more instruction. Though it was kind of required because the whatever beings with the voices blinded me.

"Do not panic."

"Steady yourself."

"We are doing this for a reason."

I suddenly felt spun around and no longer on the ground. If their reason was to make me sick, I'll be very annoyed.

Slowly I landed while spinning, I came to a sudden stop.

"If you're going to put a tail in my hand I'll be very upset. I assume we aren't playing pin the tail on the donkey. Hopefully" there was a little pause before the voices returned

"We didn't intend to make this a game, though it might make it easier for some."

"Now isn't the time for games."

"We are going to help you prevent getting attacked with your back turned."

I don't know what is going on, but I at least know they are preparing me for some sort of fight. Since they seem to be helpful, I'll let the nauseous feeling slide for now.

"Don't limit yourself to sight on the battlefield."

"You might be struck blind."

"Try to extend your senses."

"Don't limit it to sound or smell"

"Not all dangers have an odor, or make a sound."

"Try to feel around, but don't move."

"Not until you know where your target is."

"After this, try to keep this feeling extended, at all times."

So basically try to do some kind of extended touch or sonar touch? Well, it's a dream. So I may be here a while.

Fortunately, it didn't take as long as I thought. I guess if I focus on the extending aspect and try to feel with it., like a sonar wave extending from me, for example, would bring back echoes of my wavelength back to me. This, however, is different, you can think of it as an aura, like a field were I can project my senses to, I experimented with smell to smell the wood, but I guess the voices didn't want me to use my nose in this, if they mean feeling that doesn't smell, hearing, and sight, that left taste and touch. Hopefully, they won't make me like the floor, If I can't focus on my touch.

Thankfully it was the right solution because I could not only feel the glass under my feet but also the barrel at my 8 o'clock position (ever hear the phrase "watch my 6"?)

Turning to the left until I felt the wood in front of me, I walked slowly to judge my distance. When I felt it get tapped my foot in my step. I raised my left arm and stabbed the barrel. The moment I did, the proverbial blindfold on my eyes was removed, and I gained another potion. Along with it, the door decided I was worthy and became solid. Before I could open it, it did so its self. I found myself in a much more familiar setting of my fast food employer.

My boss jean working the register, one of the other workers Rebecca cleaning up a table, and a customer who appeared to be waiting for a meal.

"Hold on."

"The door won't open just yet."

"First, tell me more about yourself."

Walking up to my boss at the register I expected her voice. But I wasn't too surprised by whose voices I heard instead

"What's most important to you?"

This question stumped me for how out of the blue it was but I decided to answer anyway.

"My friends, even if I'm almost alone"

"Are friends such a big deal?"

"Only when you don't take them for granted"

"Jean" didn't respond and I have a feeling the others won't either after I answer the first question.

I walked to Rebecca and surprise, surprise.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Being indecisive or being put into a no-win situation."

"Being indecisive? Is that really so scary"

I didn't answer this time and walked to the old man waiting for his meal.

"What do you want out of life?"

"To broaden my horizons"

"To broaden your horizons huh?"

There was a little pause before the 3 spoke at once.

"You value your friendship."

"You're afraid of being indecisive."

"You want to broaden your horizons."

"Your adventure begins at midday."

"Keep a steady pace and you'll come through fine."

"Sounds about right"

"The day you will open the door is both far off and very near."

I found myself on another meral platform but this one being of both my mother and father together. The pastor had just declared the 2, husband and wife. He the background was purple with twinkling white stars in the background.

More of those shadow monsters appeared but with at least twice the amount this time. With my new sharpened field sense of touch, they didn't stand a chance, similar tactics as last time, one thought to jump overhead, but this time I just sliced through it. And sliced closest one of the few on the left's right arm off. Seems they can't feel pain because it still tried to strike me. Parrying its strike from its left arm, I used the momentum from the block to slice through the torso of one of the 3 behind me. I stabbed the one to my left in the face before I turned around again to parry another slash and decapitated it.

I diagonally slashed at the only one left in front of me and jumped over the shadow before it could pounce me from behind. Running forward, I lunged the sword through its chest before I used the almost dead creature as a projectile to knock the final one off the edge of the floor leaving me alone. Moments later after I caught my breath, I couldn't help but feel stronger. Getting back on my feet from my little break I saw glass steps appear out of nowhere at the edge of the mural I'm standing on leading up somewhere higher.

As I climbed the steps of glass, I realized I was headed to another platform mural l. This one depicted of me, this time my figure was blacked out. But on my chest was a red heart with a picture of my mother and father facing away from each other, the heart had spiderweb cracks on the side with my father while my mother's side was still shining brightly.

"The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes"

Looking back at the mural I realized that wasn't me in the picture but my shadow, and somehow my shadow stepped out of the 2nd dimension and became a fifteen foot tall giant of darkness with shining yellow eyes, and the hole still there.

"But don't be afraid."

I was still taking the look of this creature in and noticed other than my general shape, it was completely different, on it back is a pair of small bat wings that reached over its shoulders, well little compared to the rest of its body at least.

"And don't forget..."

Getting ready, I expected the voice to finish its sentence. I was wrong. The shadow giant had started to charge some sort of attack that involved some sort of black light energy. Charging towards it was a mistake as it slammed it's energy covered fist at my chest knocking me back at least 7 feet. Before I could get up, it got ready another fist of energy, this time I decided to run around, however, I wasn't the target this time as it buried it's fist into the ground, making a pool of darkness surge from its arm as it was buried in glass. Some more of the midget shadows returned. Slashing at the 2 that appeared initially, I started to slice into the giant's arm. Each cut healed, but slower each time I noticed. It pulled its arm from the mural and the darkness disappeared. Backing away when it was standing, a purple light gathered ats chest. It brought it's armed towards his chest like it was hugging itself and started to crouch. I had a bad feeling about this attack. I

I was proven right when bullets of this purple energy started coming at me. Since it left the giant vulnerable, I decided to go for the kill. Running behind it were the shots didn't seem to last, I jumped as high as i could while the giant was leaning back with its chest in the the back of its neck seemed to be the right answer because it stumbled to be leaning forward. It turned to face me. But now of all times, my sword vanished. This time it lunged both fists into the ground, each beside me as I fell to my back. Darkness didn't only pool at its arms but under me as well.

"-But don't be afraid."

I was looking deep into the giant's soulless yellow eyes

"You hold the mightiest weapon of all"

Darkness was starting to surround both me and the giant

"So don't forget:"

I could no longer see.

"You are the one who will open the door."


End file.
